CPA’s letter to Daily News Editor – 24th March 2004

I am
writing to you re the above report which was carried in your edition
of Tuesday 23 March 2004, at the bottom of the front page or page
1. The report is continued on page 18.

The
report clearly states that its subject matter relates to my letter
to you of 21st March 2004 in response to your headline story the
previous day, purportedly on a Survey conducted by Social Indicator,
the Polling Unit of the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) which
in turn had been sent to you for publicity on 19th March 2004.

In
the above report (23rd March, 2004), you correctly state that in
my letter of 21st March 2004 I had pointed out to you that your
report of 20 March 2004 contained major distortions of the CPA poll
as well as gross fabrication of survey results. I attached a Schedule
of Corrections to the 21st March 2004 letter, which you have reproduced
in this report of 23rd March 2004. At the end of the report there
is an Editor’s note which reads:

This report was based on a report sent to the Daily News by the
CPA.

It is regrettable that the CPA is not completely aware of all
documents sent to the Daily News from his (sic) Institution. We stand by our report.

Given
the shabby nature of the distortions and the gross and inflammatory
fabrication of survey results, now seriously compounded by the contents
of your above cited Editor’s note, in particular that you

a)
stand by your report, b) it is based on a report sent to you by CPA, and c) that “It is regrettable that the CPA is not completely
aware of all documents sent to the Daily News from his (sic) Institution”,

I challenge
you to produce the document sent to you by CPA on which your report
of 20th March 2004 was purportedly based. Please disclose this in
your newspaper without delay and thereby substantiate the astounding
claim and gratuitous remark made against the integrity and professionalism
of CPA and myself, in your Editor’s note of 23rd March 2004.

CC.
HE the President Hon Prime Minister Commissioner of Elections Chairman – Press Complaints Commission Hon Lakshman Kadirgamar European Union Election Monitoring Committee Commonwealth Secretariat PAFFREL HE The Ambassador – Embassy of the USA HE The High Commissioner – British High Commission HE The Ambassador – Royal Norwegian Embassy HE The High Commissioner – Canadian High Commission HE The High Commissioner – Australian High Commission HE The Ambassador – Royal Netherlands Embassy HE The Ambassador – German Embassy HE The High Commissioner – Indian High Commission HE The Ambassador – Japanese Embassy HE The Ambassador – Swedish Embassy HE The Ambassador – Embassy of Switzerland HE The Ambassador – Delegation of the EU All Print & Electronic Media Institutions Members of the Board of Directors of CPA

I am
writing with regard to the above allegation made against the Centre
for Policy Alternatives (CPA) in the Sri Lanka Rupavahini news broadcasts
of last evening (23rd March, 2004).

Given
the track record of CPA as an independent public policy institute
focusing on peace, democracy and governance through programmes of
research and advocacy and given the critical appreciation it has
received both locally and internationally from media institutions
as well, I call upon you to ensure that your organization makes
an immediate correction of this grossly erroneous and mischievous
allegation in its news broadcasts.

Such
an allegation is calculated to also adversely affect the participation
of CPA in the election monitoring activities of the Centre for Monitoring
Election Violence (CMEV) in the crucial period of the run up to
polling day. It is extremely regrettable that such an allegation
can be aired at prime time, given the guidelines laid down by the
Election Commissioner on best practices and standards for state
and non-state media.

I look
forward to the immediate correction of this false and misleading
allegation.

CPA
reserves its right to resort to appropriate legal remedy in respect
of the loss and damage caused to it by the said broadcasts.

I am
releasing this letter to the local and international print and electronic
media and copying it to the list of persons identified below.

CC.
HE the President Hon Prime Minister Commissioner of Elections Chairman – Press Complaints Commission Hon Lakshman Kadirgamar European Union Election Monitoring Committee Commonwealth Secretariat PAFFREL HE The Ambassador – Embassy of the USA HE The High Commissioner – British High Commission HE The Ambassador – Royal Norwegian Embassy HE The High Commissioner – Canadian High Commission HE The High Commissioner – Australian High Commission HE The Ambassador – Royal Netherlands Embassy HE The Ambassador – German Embassy HE The High Commissioner – Indian High Commission HE The Ambassador – Japanese Embassy HE The Ambassador – Swedish Embassy HE The Ambassador – Embassy of Switzerland HE The Ambassador – Delegation of the EU All Print & Electronic Media Institutions Members of the Board of Directors of CPA